Genes encoding sulfate assimilation proteins

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a sulfate assimilation protein. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the sulfate assimilation protein, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the sulfate assimilation protein in a transformed host cell.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/092,833, filed Jul. 14, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of plant molecular biology. More specifically, this invention pertains to nucleic acid fragments encoding sulfate assimilation proteins in plants and seeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sulfate assimilation is the process by which environmental sulfur is fixed into organic sulfur for use in cellular metabolism. The two major end products of this process are the essential amino acids cysteine and methionine. These amino acids are limiting in food and feed; they cannot be synthesized by animals and thus must be acquired from plant sources. Increasing the level of these amino acids in feed products is thus of major economic value. Key to that process is increasing the level of organic sulfur available for cysteine and methionine biosynthesis.

Multiple enzymes are involved in sulfur assimilation. These include: High affinity sulfate transporter and low affinity sulfate transporter proteins which serve to transport sulfur from the outside environment across the cell membrane into the cell (Smith et al. (1995) PNAS92(20):9373-9377). Once sulfur is in the cell sulfate adenylyltransferase (ATP sulfurylase) (Bolchia et al. (1999) Plant Mol. Biol. 39(3):527-537) catalyzes the first step in assimilation, converting the inorganic sulfur into an organic form, adenosine-5′ phospho-sulfate (APS). Next several enzymes further modify organic sulfur for use in the biosynthesis of cysteine and methionine. For example, adenylylsulfate kinase (APS kinase), catalyzes the conversion of APS to the biosynthetic intermediate PAPS (3′-phospho-adenosine-5′ phosphosulfate) (Arz et al. (1994) Biochim. Biophy. Acta 1218(3):447-452). APS reductase (5′ adenylyl phosphosulphate reductase) is utilized in an alternative pathway, resulting in an inorganic but cellularly bound (bound to a carrier), form of sulfur (sulfite) (Setya et al. (1996) PNAS 93(23):13383-13388). Sulfite reductase further reduces the sulfite, still attached to the carrier, to sulfide and serine O-acetyltransferase converts serine to O-acetylserine, which will serve as the backbone to which the sulfide will be transferred to from the carrier to form cysteine (Yonelcura-Sakakibara et al. (1998) J. Biolchem. 124(3):615-621 and Saito et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270(27):16321-16326).

As described each of these enzymes is involved in sulfate assimilation and the pathway leading to cysteine biosynthesis, which in turn serves as an organic sulfur donor for multiple other pathways in the cell, including methionine biosynthesis. Together or singly these enzymes and the genes that encode them have utility in overcoming the sulfur limitations known to exist in crop plants. It may be possible to modulate the level of sulfur containing compounds in the cell, including the nutritionally critical amino acids cysteine and methionine. Specifically, their overexpression using tissue specific promoters will remove the enzyme in question as a possible limiting step, thus increasing the potential flux through the pathway to the essential amino acids. This will allow the engineering of plant tissues with increases levels of these amino acids, which now often must be added a supplements to animal feed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention relates to isolated nucleic acid fragments encoding sulfate assimilation proteins. Specifically, this invention concerns an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a serine O-acetyltransferase and an isolated nucleic acid fragment that is substantially similar to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a serene O-acetyltransferase. In addition, this invention relates to a nucleic acid fragment that is complementary to the nucleic acid fragment encoding serine O-acetyltransferase. An additional embodiment of the instant invention pertains to a polypeptide encoding all or a substantial portion of a serine O-acetyltransferase.

In another embodiment, the instant invention relates to a chimeric gene encoding a serene O-acetyltransferase, or to a chimeric gene that comprises a nucleic acid fragment that is complementary to a nucleic acid fragment encoding a serine O-acetyltransferase, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of levels of the encoded protein in a transformed host cell that is altered (i.e., increased or decreased) from the level produced in an untransformed host cell.

In a further embodiment, the instant invention concerns a transformed host cell comprising in its genome a chimeric gene encoding a serine O-acetyltransferase, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences. Expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the encoded protein in the transformed host cell. The transformed host cell can be of eukaryotic or prokaryotic origin, and include cells derived from higher plants and microorganisms. The invention also includes transformed plants that arise from transformed host cells of higher plants, and seeds derived from such transformed plants.

An additional embodiment of the instant invention concerns a method of altering the level of expression of a serine O-acetyltransferase in a transformed host cell comprising: a) transforming a host cell with a chimeric gene comprising a nucleic acid fragment encoding a serine O-acetyltransferase; and b) growing the transformed host cell under conditions that are suitable for expression of the chimeric gene wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of serine O-aceryltransferase in the transformed host cell.

An addition embodiment of the instant invention concerns a method for obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding all or a substantial portion of an amino acid sequence encoding a serine O-acetyltransferase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND SEQUENCE DESCRIPTIONS

The invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings and Sequence Listing which form a part of this application.

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C shows a comparison of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 and the Citrullus lanatus and Arabidopsis thaliana sequences (SEQ ID NO:17, 18 (gi 2146774) and 19 (gi 1107505) respectively).

Table 1 lists the polypeptides that are described herein, the designation of the cDNA clones that comprise the nucleic acid fragments encoding polypeptides representing all or a substantial portion of these polypeptides, and the corresponding identifier (SEQ ID NO:) as used in the attached Sequence Listing. The sequence descriptions and Sequence Listing attached hereto comply with the rules governing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence disclosures in patent applications as set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.821-1.825.

TABLE 1 Sulfate Assimilation Proteins SEQ ID NO: (Nuc- (Amino Protein Clone Designation leotide) Acid) Serine O-Acetyltransferase Contig composed of: 1 2 ccol.pk0007.h3 cen3n.pk0172.h5 Serine O-Acetyltransferase Contig composed of: 3 4 crln.pk0085.c5 csclc.pk005.p2 p0022.cglnf80r p0022.cglnf80rb p0060.corac71r Serine O-Acetyltransferase ids.pk0030.b6 5 6 Serine O-Acetyltransferase rlr24.pk0069.a11 7 8 Serine O-Acetyltransferase rlr24.pk0073.d4 9 10 Serine O-Acetyltransferase srl.pk0162.a9 11 12 Serine O-Acetyltransferase srm.pk0021.f11 13 14 Serine O-Acetyltransferase wlmk4.pk0002.h5 15 16

The Sequence Listing contains the one letter code for nucleotide sequence characters and the three letter codes for amino acids as defined in conformity with the IUPAC-IUBMB standards described in Nucleic Acids Research 13:3021-3030 (1985) and in the Biochemical Journal 219 (No.2):345-373 (1984) which are herein incorporated by reference. The symbols and format used for nucleotide and amino acid sequence data comply with the rules set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.822.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the context of this disclosure, a number of terms shall be utilized. As used herein a “nucleic acid fragment” is a polymer of RNA or DNA that is single- or double-stranded, optionally containing synthetic, non-natural or altered nucleotide bases. A nucleic acid fragment in the form of a polymer of DNA may be comprised of one or more segments of cDNA, genomic DNA or synthetic DNA.

As used herein, “contig” refers to a nucleotide sequence that is assembled from two or more constituent nucleotide sequences that share common or overlapping regions of sequence homology. For example, the nucleotide sequences of two or more nucleic acid fragments can be compared and aligned in order to identify common or overlapping sequences. Where common or overlapping sequences exist between two or more nucleic acid fragments, the sequences (and thus their corresponding nucleic acid fragments) can be assembled into a single contiguous nucleotide sequence.

As used herein, “substantially similar” refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases results in substitution of one or more amino acids, but do not affect the functional properties of the polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence. “Substantially similar” also refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases does not affect the ability of the nucleic acid fragment to mediate alteration of gene expression by gene silencing through for example antisense or co-suppression technology. “Substantially similar” also refers to modifications of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention such as deletion or insertion of one or more nucleotides that do not substantially affect the functional properties of the resulting transcript vis-à-vis the ability to mediate gene silencing or alteration of the functional properties of the resulting protein molecule. It is therefore understood that the invention encompasses more than the specific exemplary nucleotide or amino acid sequences and includes functional equivalents thereof.

For example, it is well known in the art that antisense suppression and co-suppression of gene expression may be accomplished using nucleic acid fragments representing less than the entire coding region of a gene, and by nucleic acid fragments that do not share 100% sequence identity with the gene to be suppressed. Moreover, alterations in a nucleic acid fragment which result in the production of a chemically equivalent amino acid at a given site, but do not effect the functional properties of the encoded polypeptide, are well known in the art. Thus, a codon for the amino acid alanine, a hydrophobic amino acid, may be substituted by a codon encoding another less hydrophobic residue, such as glycine, or a more hydrophobic residue, such as valine, leucine, or isoleucine. Similarly, changes which result in substitution of one negatively charged residue for another, such as aspartic acid for glutamic acid, or one positively charged residue for another, such as lysine for arginine, can also be expected to produce a functionally equivalent product. Nucleotide changes which result in alteration of the N-terminal and C-terminal portions of the polypeptide molecule would also not be expected to alter the activity of the polypeptide. Each of the proposed modifications is well within the routine skill in the art, as is determination of retention of biological activity of the encoded products.

Moreover, substantially similar nucleic acid fragments may also be characterized by their ability to hybridize, under stringent conditions (0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS, 65° C.), with the nucleic acid fragments disclosed herein.

Substantially similar nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be characterized by the percent identity of the amino acid sequences that they encode to the amino acid sequences disclosed herein, as determined by algorithms commonly employed by those skilled in this art. Preferred are those nucleic acid fragments whose nucleotide sequences encode amino acid sequences that are 90% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Most preferred are nucleic acid fragments that encode amino acid sequences that are 95% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASARGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5.

A “substantial portion” of an amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises an amino acid or a nucleotide sequence that is sufficient to afford putative identification of the protein or gene that the amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises. Amino acid and nucleotide sequences can be evaluated either manually by one skilled in the art or by using computer-based sequence comparison and identification tools that employ algorithms such as BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool: Altschul et al. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/). In general, a sequence of ten or more contiguous amino acids or thirty or more contiguous nucleotides is necessary in order to putatively identify a polypeptide or nucleic acid sequence as homologous to a known protein or gene. Moreover, with respect to nucleotide sequences, gene-specific oligonucleotide probes comprising 30 or more contiguous nucleotides may be used in sequence-dependent methods of gene identification (e.g., Southern hybridization) and isolation (e.g., in situ hybridization of bacterial colonies or bacteriophage plaques). In addition, short oligonucleotides of 12 or more nucleotides may be used as amplification primers in PCR in order to obtain a particular nucleic acid fragment comprising the primers. Accordingly, a “substantial portion” of a nucleotide sequence comprises a nucleotide sequence that will afford specific identification and/or isolation of a nucleic acid fragment comprising the sequence. The instant specification teaches amino acid and nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides that comprise one or more particular plant proteins. The skilled artisan having the benefit of the sequences as reported herein, may now use all or a substantial portion of the disclosed sequences for purposes known to those skilled in this art. Accordingly, the instant invention comprises the complete sequences as reported in the accompanying Sequence Listing, as well as substantial portions of those sequences as defined above.

“Codon degeneracy” refers to divergence in the genetic code permitting variation of the nucleotide sequence without effecting the amino acid sequence of an encoded polypeptide. Accordingly, the instant invention relates to any nucleic acid fragment comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes all or a substantial portion of the amino acid sequences set forth herein. The skilled artisan is well aware of the “codon-bias” exhibited by a specific host cell in usage of nucleotide codons to specify a given amino acid. Therefore, when synthesizing a nucleic acid fragment for improved expression in a host cell, it is desirable to design the nucleic acid fragment such that its frequency of codon usage approaches the frequency of preferred codon usage of the host cell.

“Synthetic nucleic acid fragments” can be assembled from oligonucleotide building blocks that are chemically synthesized using procedures known to those skilled in the art. These building blocks are ligated and annealed to form larger nucleic acid fragments which may then be enzymatically assembled to construct the entire desired nucleic acid fragment. “Chemically synthesized”, as related to nucleic acid fragment, means that the component nucleotides were assembled in vitro. Manual chemical synthesis of nucleic acid fragments may be accomplished using well established procedures, or automated chemical synthesis can be performed using one of a number of commercially available machines. Accordingly, the nucleic acid fragments can be tailored for optimal gene expression based on optimization of nucleotide sequence to reflect the codon bias of the host cell. The skilled artisan appreciates the likelihood of successful gene expression if codon usage is biased towards those codons favored by the host. Determination of preferred codons can be based on a survey of genes derived from the host cell where sequence information is available.

“Gene” refers to a nucleic acid fragment that expresses a specific protein, including regulatory sequences preceding (5′ non-coding sequences) and following (3′ non-coding sequences) the coding sequence. “Native gene” refers to a gene as found in nature with its own regulatory sequences. “Chimeric gene” refers any gene that is not a native gene, comprising regulatory and coding sequences that are not found together in nature. Accordingly, a chimeric gene may comprise regulatory sequences and coding sequences that are derived from different sources or regulatory sequences and coding sequences derived from the same source, but arranged in a manner different than that found in nature. “Endogenous gene” refers to a native gene in its natural location in the genome of an organism. A “foreign” gene refers to a gene not normally found in the host organism, but that is introduced into the host organism by gene transfer. Foreign genes can comprise native genes inserted into a non-native organism, or chimeric genes. A “transgene” is a gene that has been introduced into the genome by a transformation procedure.

“Coding sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence that codes for a specific amino acid sequence. “Regulatory sequences” refer to nucleotide sequences located upstream (5′ non-coding sequences), within, or downstream (3′ non-coding sequences) of a coding sequence, and which influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence. Regulatory sequences may include promoters, translation leader sequences, introns, and polyadenylation recognition sequences.

“Promoter” refers to a nucleotide sequence capable of controlling the expression of a coding sequence or functional RNA. In general, a coding sequence is located 3′ to a promoter sequence. The promoter sequence consists of proximal and more distal upstream elements, the latter elements often referred to as enhancers. Accordingly, an “enhancer” is a nucleotide sequence which can stimulate promoter activity and may be an innate element of the promoter or a heterologous element inserted to enhance the level or tissue-specificity of a promoter. Promoters may be derived in their entirety from a native gene, or be composed of different elements derived from different promoters found in nature, or even comprise synthetic nucleotide segments. It is understood by those skilled in the art that different promoters may direct the expression of a gene in different tissues or cell types, or at different stages of development, or in response to different environmental conditions. Promoters which cause a nucleic acid fragment to be expressed in most cell types at most times are commonly referred to as “constitutive promoters”. New promoters of various types useful in plant cells are constantly being discovered; numerous examples may be found in the compilation by Okamuro and Goldberg (1989) Biochemistry of Plants 15:1-82. It is further recognized that since in most cases the exact boundaries of regulatory sequences have not been completely defined, nucleic acid fragments of different lengths may have identical promoter activity.

The “translation leader sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence located between the promoter sequence of a gene and the coding sequence. The translation leader sequence is present in the fully processed mRNA upstream of the translation start sequence. The translation leader sequence may affect processing of the primary transcript to mRNA, mRNA stability or translation efficiency. Examples of translation leader sequences have been described (Turner and Foster (1995) Molecular Biotechnology 3:225).

The “3′ noncoding sequences” refer to nucleotide sequences located downstrean of a coding sequence and include polyadenylation recognition sequences and other sequences encoding regulators signals capable of affecting mRNA processing or gene expression. The polyadenylation signal is usually characterized by affecting the addition of polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor. The use of different 3′ non-coding sequences is exemplified by Ingelbrecht et al. (1989) Plant Cell 1:671-680.

“RNA transcript” refers to the product resulting from RNA polymerase-catalyzed transcription of a DNA sequence. When the RNA transcripts is a perfect complementaty copy of the DNA sequence, it is referred to as the primary transcript or it may be a RNA sequence derived from posttranscriptional processing of the primary transcript and is referred to as the mature RNA. “Messenger RNA (mRNA)” refers to the RNA that is without introns and that can be translated into polypeptide by the cell. “cDNA” refers to a double-stranded DNA that is complementary to and derived from mRNA. “Sense” RNA refers to an RNA transcript that includes the mRNA and so can be translated into a polypeptide by the cell. “Antisense RNA” refers to an RNA transcript that is complementary to all or part of a target primary transcript or mRNA and that blocks the expression of a target gene (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,065, incorporated herein by reference). The complementary of an antisense RNA may be with any part of the specific nucleotide sequence, i.e., at the 5′ non-coding sequence, 3′ non-coding sequence, introns, or the coding sequence. “Functional RNA” refers to sense RNA, antisense RNA, ribozyme RNA, or other RNA that may not be translated but yet has an effect on cellular processes.

The term “operably linked” refers to the association of two or more nucleic acid fragments on a single nucleic acid fragment so that the function of one is affected by the other. For example, a promoter is operably linked with a coding sequence when it is capable of affecting the expression of that coding sequence (i.e., that the coding sequence is under the transcriptional control of the promoter). Coding sequences can be operably linked to regulatory sequences in sense or antisense orientation.

The term “expression”, as used herein, refers to the transcription and stable accumulation of sense (mRNA) or antisense RNA derived from the nucleic acid fragment of the invention. Expression may also refer to translation of mRNA into a polypeptide. “Antisense inhibition” refers to the production of antisense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of the target protein. “Overexpression” refers to the production of a gene product in transgenic organisms that exceeds levels of production in normal or non-transformed organisms. “Co-suppression” refers to the production of sense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of identical or substantially similar foreign or endogenous genes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,020, incorporated herein by reference).

“Altered levels” refers to the production of gene product(s) in transgenic organisms in amounts or proportions that differ from that of normal or non-transformed organisms.

“Mature” protein refers to a post-translationally processed polypeptide; i.e., one from which any pre- or propeptides present in the primary translation product have been removed. “Precursor” protein refers to the primary product of translation of mRNA; i.e., with pre- and propeptides still present. Pre- and propeptides may be but are not limited to intracellular localization signals.

A “chloroplast transit peptide” is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the chloroplast or other plastid types present in the cell which the protein is made. “Chloroplast transit sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence that encodes a chloroplast transit peptide. A “signal peptide” is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the secretory system (Chrispeels (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53). If the protein is to be directed to a vacuole, a vacuolar targeting signal (supra) can further be added, or if to the endoplasmic reticulum, an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal (supra) may be added. If the protein is to be directed to the nucleus, any signal peptide present should be removed and instead a nuclear localization signal included (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys. 100:1627-1632).

“Transformation” refers to the transfer of a nucleic acid fragment into the genome of a host organism, resulting in genetically stable inheritance. Host organisms containing the transformed nucleic acid fragments are referred to as “transgenic” organisms. Examples of methods of plant transformation include Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (De Blaere et al. (1987) Meth. Enzymol. 143:277) and particle-accelerated or “gene gun” transformation technology (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73; U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050, incorporated herein by reference).

Standard recombinant DNA and molecular cloning techniques used herein are well known in the art and are described more fully in Sambrook et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press: Cold Spring Harbor, 1989 (hereinafter “Maniatis”).

Nucleic acid fragments encoding at least a portion of a several sulfate assimilation protein have been isolated and identified by comparison of random plant cDNA sequences to public databases containing nucleotide and protein sequences using the BLAST algorithms well known to those skilled in the art. The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to isolate cDNAs and genes encoding homologous proteins from the same or other plant species. Isolation of homologous genes using sequence-dependent protocols is well known in the art. Examples of sequence-dependent protocols include, but are not limited to, methods of nucleic acid hybridization, and methods of DNA and RNA amplification as exemplified by various uses of nucleic acid amplification technologies (e.g., polymerase chain reaction, ligase chain reaction).

For example, genes encoding other serine O-acetyltransferase enzymes, either as cDNAs or genomic DNAs, could be isolated directly by using all or a portion of the instant nucleic acid fragments as DNA hybridization probes to screen libraries from any desired plant employing methodology well known to those skilled in the art. Specific oligonucleotide probes based upon the instant nucleic acid sequences can be designed and synthesized by methods known in the art (Maniatis). Moreover, the entire sequences can be used directly to synthesize DNA probes by methods known to the skilled artisan such as random primer DNA labeling, nick translation, or end-labeling techniques, or RNA probes using available in vitro transcription systems. In addition, specific primers can be designated and used to amplify a part or all of the instant sequences. The resulting amplification products can be labeled directly during amplification reactions or labeled after amplification reactions, and used as probes to isolate full length cDNA or genomic fragments under conditions of appropriate stringency.

In addition, two short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols to amplify longer nucleic acid fragments encoding homologous genes from DNA or RNA. The polymerase chain reaction may also be performed on a library of cloned nucleic acid fragments wherein the sequence of one primer is derived from the instant nucleic acid fragments, and the sequence of the other primer takes advantage of the presence of the polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor encoding plant genes. Alternatively, the second primer sequence may be based upon sequences derived from the cloning vector. For example, the skilled artisan can follow the RACE protocol (Frohman et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 85:8998) to generate cDNAs by using PCR to amplify copies of the region between a single point in the transcript and the 3′ or 5′ end. Primers oriented in the 3′ and 5′ directions can be designed from the instant sequences. Using commercially available 3′ RACE or 5′ RACE systems (BRL), specific 3′ or 5′ cDNA fragments can be isolated (Ohara et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 86:5673; Loh et al. (1989) Science 243:217). Products generated by the 3′ and 5′ RACE procedures can be combined to generate full-length cDNAs (Frohman and Martin (1989) Techniques 1:165).

Availability of the instant nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences facilitates immunological screening of cDNA expression libraries. Synthetic peptides representing portions of the instant amino acid sequences may be synthesized. These peptides can be used to immunize animals to produce polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies with specificity for peptides or proteins comprising the amino acid sequences. These antibodies can be then be used to screen CDNA expression libraries to isolate full-length cDNA clones of interest (Lerner (1984) Adv. Immunol. 36:1; Maniatis).

The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to create transgenic plants in which the disclosed polypeptides are present at higher or lower levels than normal or in cell types or developmental stages in which they are not normally found. This would have the effect of altering the level of serine O-acetyltransferase in those cells. This enzyme is involved in sulfate assimilation and the pathway leading to cysteine biosynthesis, which in turn serves as an organic sulfur donor for multiple other pathways in the cell, including methionine biosynthesis. This enzyme and the gene(s) that encodes the protein has utility in overcoming the sulfur limitations known to exist in crop plants. It may be possible to modulate the level of sulfur containing compounds in the cell, including the nutritionally critical amino acids cysteine and methionine. Specifically, their overexpression using tissue specific promoters will remove the enzyme in question as a possible limiting step, thus increasing the potential flux through the pathway to the essential amino acids. This will allow the engineering of plant tissues with increases levels of these amino acids, which now often must be added a supplements to animal feed.

Overexpression of the proteins of the instant invention may be accomplished by first constructing a chimeric gene in which the coding region is operably linked to a promoter capable of directing expression of a gene in the desired tissues at the desired stage of development. For reasons of convenience, the chimeric gene may comprise promoter sequences and translation leader sequences derived from the same genes. 3′ Non-coding sequences encoding transcription termination signals may also be provided. The instant chimeric gene may also comprise one or more introns in order to facilitate gene expression.

Plasmid vectors comprising the instant chimeric gene can then constructed. The choice of plasmid vector is dependent upon the method that will be used to transform host plants. The skilled artisan is well aware of the genetic elements that must be present on the plasmid vector in order to successfully transform, select and propagate host cells containing the chimeric gene. The skilled artisan will also recognize that different independent transformation events will result in different levels and patterns of expression (Jones et al. (1985) EMBO J. 4:2411-2418; De Almeida et al. (1989) Mol. Gen. Genetics 218:78-86), and thus that multiple events must be screened in order to obtain lines displaying the desired expression level and pattern. Such screening may be accomplished by Southern analysis of DNA, Northern analysis of mRNA expression, Western analysis of protein expression, or phenotypic analysis.

For some applications it may be useful to direct the instant gold peptides to different cellular compartments, or to facilitate its secretion from the cell. It is thus envisioned that the chimeric gene described above may be further supplemented by altering the coding sequence to encode the instant polypeptides with appropriate intracellular targeting sequences such as transit sequences (Keegstra (1989) Cell 56:247-253), signal sequences or sequences encoding endoplasmic reticulum localization (Chrispeels (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53), or nuclear localization signals (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys.100:1627-1632) added and/or with targeting sequences that are already present removed. While the references cited give examples of each of these, the list is not exhaustive and more targeting signals of utility may be discovered in the future.

It may also be desirable to reduce or eliminate expression of genes encoding the instant polypeptides in plants for some applications. In order to accomplish this, a chimeric gene designed for co-suppression of the instant polypeptide can be constructed by linking a gene or gene fragment encoding that polypeptide to plant promoter sequences. Alternatively, a chimeric gene designed to express antisense RNA for all or part of the instant nucleic acid fragment can be constructed by linking the gene or gene fragment in reverse orientation to plant promoter sequences. Either the co-suppression or antisense chimeric genes could be introduced into plants via transformation wherein expression of the corresponding endogenous genes are reduced or eliminated.

Molecular genetic solutions to the generation of plants with altered gene expression have a decided advantage over more traditional plant breeding approaches. Changes in plant phenotypes can be produced by specifically inhibiting expression of one or more genes by antisense inhibition or cosuppression (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,190,931, 5,107,065 and 5,283,323). An antisense or cosuppression construct would act as a dominant negative regulator of gene activity. While conventional mutations can yield negative regulation of gene activity these effects are most likely recessive. The dominant negative regulation available with a transgenic approach may be advantageous from a breeding perspective. In addition, the ability to restrict the expression of specific phenotype to the reproductive tissues of the plant by the use of tissue specific promoters may confer agronomic advantages relative to conventional mutations which may have an effect in all tissues in which a mutant gene is ordinarily expressed.

The person skilled in the art will know that special considerations are associated with the use of antisense or cosuppresion technologies in order to reduce expression of particular genes. For example, the proper level of expression of sense or antisense genes may require the use of different chimeric genes utilizing different regulatory elements known to the skilled artisan. Once transgenic plants are obtained by one of the methods described above, it will be necessary to screen individual transgenics for those that most effectively display the desired phenotype. Accordingly, the skilled artisan will develop methods for screening large numbers of transformants. The nature of these screens will generally be chosen on practical grounds and, is not an inherent part of the invention. For example, one can screen by looking for changes in gene expression by using antibodies specific for the protein encoded by the gene being suppressed, or one could establish assays that specifically measure enzyme activity. A preferred method will be one which allows large numbers of samples to be processed rapidly, since it will be expected that a large number of transformants will be negative for the desired phenotype.

The instant polypeptides (or portions thereof) may be produced in heterologous host cells, particularly in the cells of microbial hosts, and can be used to prepare antibodies to the these proteins by methods well known to those skilled in the art. The antibodies are useful for detecting the polypeptides of the instant invention in situ in cells or in vitro in cell extracts. Preferred heterologous host cells for production of the instant polypeptides are microbial hosts. Microbial expression systems and expression vectors containing regulatory sequences that direct high level expression of foreign proteins are well known to those skilled in the art. Any of these could be used to construct a chimeric gene for production of the instant polypeptides. This chimeric gene could then be introduced into appropriate microorganisms via transformation to provide high level expression of the encoded sulfate assimilation protein. An example of a vector for high level expression of the instant polypeptides in a bacterial host is provided (Example 6).

All or a substantial portion of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be used as probes for genetically and physically mapping the genes that they are a part of, and as markers for traits linked to those genes. Such information may be useful in plant breeding in order to develop lines with desired phenotypes. For example, the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. Southern blots (Maniatis) of restriction-digested plant genomic DNA may be probed with the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention. The resulting banding patterns may then be subjected to genetic analyses using computer programs such as MapMaker (Lander et al. (1987) Genomics 1:174-181) in order to construct a genetic map. In addition, the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to probe Southern blots containing restriction endonuclease-treated genomic DNAs of a set of individuals representing parent and progeny of a defined genetic cross. Segregation of the DNA polymorphisms is noted and used to calculate the position of the instant nucleic acid sequence in the genetic map previously obtained using this population (Botstein et al. (1980) Am. J. Hum Genet. 32:314-331).

The production and use of plant gene-derived probes for use in genetic mapping is described in Benatzky and Tanksley (1986) Plant Mol. Biol. Reporter 4(1):37-41. Numerous publications describe genetic mapping of specific cDNA clones using the methodology outlined above or variations thereof. For example, F2 intercross populations, backcross populations, randomly mated populations, near isogenic lines, and other sets of individuals may be used for mapping. Such methodologies are well known to those skilled in the art.

Nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may also be used for physical mapping (i.e., placement of sequences on physical maps, see Hoheisel et al. In: Nonmammalian Genomic Analysis: A Practical Guide, Academic press 1996, pp. 319-346, and references cited therein).

In another embodiment, nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may be used in direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping (Trask (1991) Trends Genet. 7:149-154). Although current methods of FISH mapping favor use of large clones (several to several hundred KB; see Laan et al. (1995) Genome Research 5:13-20), improvements in sensitivity may allow performance of FISH mapping using shorter probes.

A variety of nucleic acid amplification-based methods of genetic and physical mapping may be carried out using the instant nucleic acid sequences. Examples include allele-specific amplification (Kazazian (1989)J. Lab. Clin. Med. 11412):95-96), polymorphism of PCR-amplified fragments (CAPS; Sheffield et al. (1993) Genomics 16:325-332), allele-specific ligation (Landegren et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080), nucleotide extension reactions (Sokolov (1990) Nucleic Acid Res. 18:3671), Radiation Hybrid Mapping (Walter et al. (1997) Nature Genetics 7:22-28) and Happy Mapping (Dear and Cook (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17:6795-6807). For these methods the sequence of a nucleic acid fragment is used to design and produce primer pairs for use in the amplification reaction or in primer extension reactions. The design of such primers is well known to those skilled in the art. In methods employing PCR-based genetic mapping, it may be necessary to identify DNA sequence differences between the parents of the mapping cross in the region corresponding to the instant nucleic acid sequence. This, however, is generally not necessary for mapping methods.

Loss of function mutant phenotypes may be identified for the instant cDNA clones either by targeted gene disruption protocols or by identifying specific mutants for these genes contained in a maize population carrying mutations in all possible genes (Ballinger and Benzer (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad Sci USA 86:9402; Koes et al. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad Sci USA 92:8149; Bensen et al. (1995) Plant Cell 7:75). The latter approach may be accomplished in two ways. First, short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols in conjunction with a mutation tag sequence primer on DNAs prepared from a population of plants in which Mutator transposons or some other mutation-causing DNA element has been introduced (see Bensen. supra). The amplification of a specific DNA fragment with these primers indicates the insertion of the mutation tag element in or near the plant gene encoding the instant polypeptides. Alternatively, the instant nucleic acid fragment may be used as a hybridization probe against PCR amplification products generated from the mutation population using the mutation tag sequence primer in conjunction with an arbitrary genomic site primer, such as that for a restriction enzyme site-anchored synthetic adaptor. With either method, a plant containing a mutation in the endogenous gene encoding the instant polypeptides can be identified and obtained. This mutant plant can then be used to determine or confirm the natural function of the instant polypeptides disclosed herein.

EXAMPLES

The present invention is further defined in the following Examples, in which all parts and percentages are by weight and degrees are Celsius, unless otherwise stated. It should be understood that these Examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. From the above discussion and these Examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various chances and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

Example 1 Composition of cDNA Libraries: Isolation and Sequencing of cDNA Clones

cDNA libraries representing mRNAs from various corn, impatiens, rice, soybean and wheat tissues were prepared. The characteristics of the libraries are described below.

TABLE 2 cDNA Libraries from Corn Impatiens, Rice, Soybean and Wheat Library Tissue Clone ccol Corn (Zea mays L.) cob of 67 day old plants ccol.pk0007.h3 grown in green house cen3n Corn (Zea mays L.) endosperm stage 3 (20 cen3n.pk0172.h5 days after pollenation)* crln Corn (Zea mays L.) root from 7 day crln.pk0085.c5 seedlings grown in light csclc Corn (Zea mays L.) 20 day seedling csclc.pk005.p2 (germination under cold stress) ids Impatiens balsamina developing seed ids.pk0030.b6 p0022 Corn (Zea mays L.) green leaves treated with p0022.cglnf80r jasmonic acid (1 mg/ml in 0.02% Tween 20) p0022.cglnf80rb 24 hr before collection (middle ¾ of the 3rd leaf blade and mid rib only)*** p0060 Corn (Zea mays L.) leaf about one month p0060.corac71r after planting in green house rlr24 Rice (Oryza sativa L.) leaf (15 days after rlr24.pk0069.a11 germination) 24 hours after infection of rlr24.pk0073.d4 Magaporthe grisea strain 4360-R-62 (AVR2-YAMO); Resistant srl Soybean (Glycine max L.) root library srl.pk0162.a9 srm Soybean (Glycine max L:) root meristem srm.pk0021.f11 wlmk4 Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings 4 hr wlmk4.pk0002.h5 after inoculation w/E. graminis and fungicide** *This library was normalized essentially as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,845, incorporated herein by reference. **Fungicide: Application of 6-iodo-2-propoxy-3-propyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone; synthesis and methods of using this compound are described in USSN 08/545,827, incorporated herein by reference. ***Jasmonic acid is available from Sigma Chemical Co.

cDNA libraries may be prepared by any one or many method's available. For example, the cDNAs may be introduced into plasmid vectors by first preparing the cDNA libraries in Uni-ZAP* XR vectors according to the manufacturer's protocol (Stratagene Cloning Systems. La Jolla, Calif.). The Uni-ZAP* XR libraries are converted into plasmid libraries according to the protocol provided by Stratagene. Upon conversion, cDNA inserts will be contained in the plasmid vector pBluescript. In addition, the cDNAs may be introduced directly into precut Bluescript II SK(+) vectors (Stratagene) using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs), followed by transfection into DH10B cells according to the manufacturer's protocol (GIBCO BRL Products). Once the cDNA inserts are in plasmid vectors, plasmid DNAs are prepared from randomly picked bacterial colonies containing recombinant pBluescript plasmids, or the insert cDNA sequences are amplified via polymerase chain reaction using primers specific for vector sequences flanking the inserted cDNA sequences. Amplified insert DNAs or plasmid DNAs are sequenced in dye-primer sequencing reactions to generate partial cDNA sequences (expressed sequence tags or “ESTs”; see Adams et al., (1991) Science 252:1651). The resulting ESTs are analyzed using a Perkin Elmer Model 377 fluorescent sequencer.

Example 2 Identification of cDNA Clones

cDNA clones encoding sulfate assimilation proteins were identified by conducting BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul et al. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/) searches for similarity to sequences contained in the BLAST “nr” database (comprising all non-redundant GenBank CDS translations, sequences derived from the 3-dimensional structure Brookhaven Protein Data Bank, the last major release of the SWISS-PROT protein sequence database, EMBL, and DDBJ databases). The cDNA sequences obtained in Example 1 were analyzed for similarity to all publicly available DNA sequences contained in the “nr” database using the BLASTN algorithm provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The DNA sequences were translated in all reading frames and compared for similarity to all publicly available protein sequences contained in the “nr” database using the BLASTX algorithm (Gish and States (1993) Nature Genetics 3:266-272) provided by the NCBI. For convenience, the P-value (probability) of observing a match of a cDNA sequence to a sequence contained in the searched databases merely by chance as calculated by BLAST are reported herein as “pLog” values, which represent the negative of the logarithm of the reported P-value. Accordingly, the greater the pLog value, the greater the likelihood that the cDNA sequence and the BLAST “hit” represent homologous proteins.

Example 3 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Serine O-Aceryltransferase

The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 3 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to serine O-acetyltransferase from Citrullus lanatus (NCBI Identifier No. gi 1361979) and Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI Identifier No. gi 2146774 and gi 1107505). Shown in Table 3 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”), the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones (“FIS”), or contigs assembled from two or more ESTs (“Contig”):

TABLE 3 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Citrullus lanatus and Arabidopsis thaliana Serine O-Acetyltransferase Clone Status BLAST pLog Score Contig composed of: Contig  95.70 (gi 2146774) ccol.pk0007.h3 cen3n.pk0172.h5 Contig composed of: Contig  34.20 (gi 1361979) crln.pk0085.c5 csclc.pk005.p2 p0022.cglnf80r p0022.cglnf80rb p0060.corac71r ids.pk0030.b6 FIS 133.00 (gi 1361979) rlr24.pk0069.a11 FIS 123.00 (gi 1361979) rlr24.pk0073.d4 FIS 102.00 (gi 2146774) srl.pk0162.a9 EST 168.00 (gi 1361979) srm.pk0021.f11 EST  69.70 (gi 1107505) wlmk4.pk0002.h5 FIS  30.30 (gi 1361979)

FIG. 1 presents an alignment of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 and the Citrullus lanatus and Arabidopsis thaliana sequences (SEQ ID NOs:17, 18 (gi 2146774) and 19 (gi 1107505) respectively). The data in Table 4 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 and the Citrullus lanatus and Arabidopsis thaliana sequences (SEQ ID NOs:17, 18 (gi 2146774) and 19 (gi 1107505) respectively).

TABLE 4 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Citrullus lanatus and Arabidopsis thaliana Serine O-Acetyltransferase SEQ ID NO. Percent Identity to 2 82% (gi 2146774) 4 45% (gi 1361979) 6 80% (gi 1361979) 8 72% (gi 1361979) 10 81% (gi 2146774) 12 87% (gi 1361979) 14 81% (gi 1107505) 16 52% (gi 1361979)

Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASARGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode a substantial portion of a serine O-acetyltransferase. These sequences represent the first corn, impatiens, rice and wheat sequences encoding serine O-acetyltransferase

Example 4 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Monocot Cells

A chimeric gene comprising a cDNA encoding the instant polypeptides in sense orientation with respect to the maize 27 kD zein promoter that is located 5′ to the cDNA fragment, and the 10 kD zein 3′ end that is located 3′ to the cDNA fragment, can be constructed. The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites (NcoI or SmaI) can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the digested vector pML 103 as described below. Amplification is then performed in a standard PCR. The amplified DNA is then digested with restriction enzymes NcoI and SmaI and fractionated on an agarose gel. The appropriate band can be isolated from the gel and combined with a 4.9 kb NcoI-SmaI fragment of the plasmid pML 103. Plasmid pML103 has been deposited under the terms of the Budapest Treaty at ATCC (American Type Culture Collection 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209) and bears accession number ATCC 97366. The DNA segment from pML103 contains a 1.05 kb SalI-NcoI promoter fragment of the maize 27 kD zein gene and a 0.96 kb SmaI-SalI fragment from the 3′ end of the maize 10 kD zein gene in the vector pGem9Zf(+)(Promega). Vector and insert DNA can be ligated at 15° C. overnight, essentially as described (Maniatis). The ligated DNA may then be used to transform E. coli XL1-Blue (Epicurian Coli XL-1 Blue™; Stratagene). Bacterial transformants can be screened by restriction enzyme digestion of plasmid DNA and limited nucleotide sequence analysis using the dideoxy chain termination method (Sequenase™ DNA Sequencing Kit; U.S. Biochemical). The resulting plasmid construct would comprise a chimeric gene encoding, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, the maize 27 kD zein promoter a cDNA fragment encoding the instant polypeptides, and the 10 kD zein 3′ region.

The chimeric gene described above can then be introduced into corn cells by the following procedure. Immature corn embryos can be dissected from developing caryopses derived from crosses of the inbred corn lines H99 and LH132. The embryos are isolated 10 to 11 days after pollination when they are 1.0 to 1.5 mm long. The embryos are then placed with the axis-side facing down and in contact with agarose-solidified N6 medium (Chu et al. (1975) Sci. Sin. Peking 18:659-668). The embryos are kept in the dark at 27° C. Friable embryogenic callus consisting of undifferentiated masses of cells with somatic proembryoids and embryoids borne on suspensor structures proliferates from the scutellurn of these immature embryos. The embryogenic callus isolated from the primary explant can be cultured on N6 medium and sub-cultured on this medium every 2 to 3 weeks.

The plasmid, p35S/Ac (obtained from Dr. Peter Eckes, Hoechst Ag, Frankfurt, Germany) may be used in transformation experiments in order to provide for a selectable marker. This plasmid contains the Pat gene (see European Pat. Publication 0 242 236) which encodes phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT). The enzyme PAT confers resistance to herbicidal glutamine synthetase inhibitors such as phosphinothricin. The pat gene in p35S/Ac is under the control of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812) and the 3′ region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

The particle bombardment method (Klein et al. (1987) Nature 327:70-73) may be used to transfer genes to the callus culture cells. According to this method gold particles (1 μm in diameter) are coated with DNA using the following technique. Ten μg of plasmid DNAs are added to 50 μL of a suspension of gold particles (60 mg per mL). Calcium chloride (50 μL of a 2.5 M solution) and spermidine free base (20 μL of a 1.0 M solution) are added to the particles. The suspension is vortexed during the addition of these solutions. After 10 minutes, the tubes are briefly centrifuged (5 sec at 15,000 rpm) and the supernatant removed. The particles are resuspended in 200 μL of absolute ethanol centrifuged again and the supernatant removed. The ethanol rinse is performed again and the particles resuspended in a final volume of 30 μL of ethanol. An aliquot (5 μL) of the DNA-coated gold particles can be placed in the center of a Kapton™ flying disc (Bio-Rad Labs). The particles are then accelerated into the corn tissue with a Biolistic™ PDS-1000/He (Bio-Rad Instruments, Hercules Calif.), using a helium pressure of 1000 psi, a gap distance of 0.5 cm and a flying distance of 1.0 cm.

For bombardment, the embryogenic tissue is placed on filter paper over agarose-solidified N6 medium. The tissue is arranged as a thin lawn and covered a circular area of about 5 cm in diameter. The petri dish containing the tissue can be placed in the chamber of the PDS-1000/He approximately 8 cm from the stopping screen. The air in the chamber is then evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches of Hg. The macrocarrier is accelerated with a helium shock wave using a rupture membrane that bursts when the He pressure in the shock tube reaches 1000 psi.

Seven days after bombardment the tissue can be transferred to N6 medium that contains gluphosinate (2 mg per liter) and lacks casein or proline. The tissue continues to grow slowly on this medium. After an additional 2 weeks the tissue can be transferred to fresh N6 medium containing gluphosinate. After 6 weeks, areas of about 1 cm in diameter of actively growing callus can be identified on some of the plates containing the glufosinate-supplemented medium. These calli may continue to grow when sub-cultured on the selective medium.

Plants can be regenerated from the transgenic callus by first transferring clusters of tissue to N6 medium supplemented with 0.2 mg per liter of 2,4-D. After two weeks the tissue can be transferred to regeneration medium (Fromm et al. (1990) Bio/Technology 8:833-839).

Example 5 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Dicot Cells

A seed-specific expression cassette composed of the promoter and transcription terminator from the gene encoding the β subunit of the seed storage protein phaseolin from the bean Phaseolus vulgaris (Doyle et al. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261:9228-9238) can be used for expression of the instant polypeptides in transformed soybean. The phaseolin cassette includes about 500 nucleotides upstream (5′) from the translation initiation codon and about 1650 nucleotides downstream (3′) from the translation stop codon of phaseolin. Between the 5′ and 3′ regions are the unique restriction endonuclease sites Nco I (which includes the ATG translation initiation codon), Sma I, Kpn I and Xba I. The entire cassette is flanked by Hind III sites.

The cDNA fragment of this gene may be venerated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the expression vector. Amplification is then performed as described above, and the isolated fragment is inserted into a pUC18 vector carrying the seed expression cassette.

Soybean embryos may then be transformed with the expression vector comprising sequences encoding the instant polypeptides. To induce somatic embryos, cotyledons, 3-5 mm in length dissected from surface stertilized, immature seeds of the soybean cultivar A2872, can be cultured in the light or dark at 26° C. on an appropriate agar medium for 6-10 weeks. Somatic embryos which produce secondary embryos are then excised and placed into a suitable liquid medium. After repeated selection for clusters of somatic embryos which multiplied as early, globular staged embryos, the suspensions are maintained as described below.

Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures can maintained in 35 mL liquid media on a rotary shaker, 150 rpm, at 26° C. with florescent lights on a 16:8 hour day/night schedule. Cultures are subcultured every two weeks by inoculating approximately 35 mg of tissue into 35 mL of liquid medium.

Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures may then be transformed by the method of particle gun bombardment (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050). A DuPont Biolistic™ PDS1000/HE instrument (helium retrofit) can be used for these transformations.

A selectable marker gene which can be used to facilitate soybean transformation is a chimeric gene composed of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812), the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene from plasmid pJR225 (from E. coli; Gritz et al.(1983) Gene 25:179-188) and the 3′ region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The seed expression cassette comprising the phaseolin 5′ region, the fragment encoding the instant polypeptides and the phaseolin 3′ region can be isolated as a restriction fragment. This fragment can then be inserted into a unique restriction site of the vector carrying the marker gene.

To 50 μL of a 60 mg/mL 1 μm gold particle suspension is added (in order): 5 μL DNA (1 μg/μL), 20 μl spermidine (0.1 M), and 50 μL CaCl₂ (2.5 M). The particle preparation is then agitated for three minutes, spun in a microfuge for 10 seconds and the supernatant removed. The DNA-coated particles are then washed once in 400 μL 70% ethanol and resuspended in 40 μL of anhydrous ethanol. The DNA/particle suspension can be sonicated three times for one second each. Five μL of the DNA-coated gold particles are then loaded on each macro carrier disk.

Approximately 300-400 mg of a two-week-old suspension culture is placed in an empty 60×15 mm petri dish and the residual liquid removed from the tissue with a pipette. For each transformation experiment, approximately 5-10 plates of tissue are normally bombarded. Membrane rupture pressure is set at 1100 psi and the chamber is evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches mercury. The tissue is placed approximately 3.5 inches away from the retaining screen and bombarded three times. Following bombardment the tissue can be divided in half and placed back into liquid and cultured as described above.

Five to seven days post bombardment, the liquid media may be exchanged with fresh media, and eleven to twelve days post bombardment with fresh media containing 50 mg/mL hygromycin. This selective media can be refreshed weekly. Seven to eight weeks post bombardment, green, transformed tissue may be observed growing from untransformed, necrotic embryogenic clusters. Isolated green tissue is removed and inoculated into individual flasks to generate new, clonally propagated, transformed embryogenic suspension cultures. Each new line may be treated as an independent transformation event. These suspensions can then be subcultured and maintained as clusters of immature embryos or regenerated into whole plants by maturation and germination of individual somatic embryos.

Example 6 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Microbial Cells

The cDNAs encoding the instant polypeptides can be inserted into the T7 E. coli expression vector pBT430. This vector is a derivative of pET-3a (Rosenberg et al. (1987) Gene 56:125-135) which employs the bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase/T7 promoter system. Plasmid pBT430 was constructed by first destroying the EcoR I and Hind III sites in pET-3a at their original positions. An oligonucleotide adaptor containing EcoR I and Hind III sites was inserted at the BamH I site of pET-3a This created pET-3aM with additional unique cloning sites for insertion of genes into the expression vector. Then, the Nde I site at the position of translation initiation was converted to an Nco I site using oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The DNA sequence of pET-3aM in this region, 5′-CATATGG, was converted to 5′-CCCATGG in pBT430.

Plasmid DNA containing a cDNA may be appropriately digested to release a nucleic acid fragment encoding the protein. This fragment may then be purified on a 1% NuSieve GTG™ low melting agarose gel (FMC). Buffer and agarose contain 10 μg/ml ethidium bromide for visualization of the DNA fragment. The fragment can then be purified from the agarose gel by digestion with GELase™ (Epicentre Technologies) according to the manufacturer's instructions, ethanol precipitated, dried and resuspended in 20 μL of water. Appropriate oligonucleotide adapters may be ligated to the fragment using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). The fragment containing the ligated adapters can be purified from the excess adapters using low melting agarose as described above. The vector pBT430 is digested, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (NEB) and deproteinized with phenol/chloroform as described above. The prepared vector pBT430 and fragment can then be ligated at 16° C. for 15 hours followed by transformation into DH5 electrocompetent cells (GIBCO BRL). Transformants can be selected on agar plates containing LB media and 100 μg/mL ampicillin. Transformants containing the gene encoding the instant polypeptides are then screened for the correct orientation with respect to the T7 promoter by restriction enzyme analysis.

For high level expression, a plasmid clone with the cDNA insert in the correct orientation relative to the T7 promoter can be transformed into E. coli strain BL21(DE3) (Studier et al. 1986) J. Mol. Biol. 189:113-130). Cultures are grown in LB medium containing ampicillin (100 mg/L) at 25° C. At an optical density at 600 nm of approximately 1, IPTG (isopropylthio-β-galactoside, the inducer) can be added to a final concentration of 0.4 mM and incubation can be continued for 3 h at 25°. Cells are then harvested by centrifugation and re-suspended in 50 μL of 50 mM Tris-HCl at pH 8.0 containing 0.1 mM DTT and 0.2 mM phenyl methylsulfonyl fluoride. A small amount of 1 mm glass beads can be added and the mixture sonicated 3 times for about 5 seconds each time with a microprobe sonicator. The mixture is centrifuged and the protein concentration of the supernatant determined. One μg of protein from the soluble fraction of the culture can be separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gels can be observed for protein bands migrating at the expected molecular weight.

SEQUENCE LISTING <160> NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 19 <210> SEQ ID NO 1 <211> LENGTH: 815 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Zea mays <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (545) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (615) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (648) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (668) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (702) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (721) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (728) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (743) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (746) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (761) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (768)..(769) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (777) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (789) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (794)..(795) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (811) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (813) <400> SEQUENCE: 1 gcctcctcaa ctacaagggc ttcctcgcca tccaggccca ccgcgtcgcg cacgtgctct 60 gggcgcagca gcgacggccc ctcgcgctcg cgctccagtc ccgcgtcgcc gacgtcttcg 120 ccgttgacat ccaccccgcc gccgtcgtcg ggaagggaat cctcctcgac cacgccaccg 180 gcgtcgtcat cggtgagacg gccgtcgtcg gcgacaacgt ctccatcctc caccacgtca 240 ccttgggcgg gaccgggaag gcggtgggtg accggcaccc caagattggg gatggcgtgc 300 tgattggagc aggggccacc attcttggta acgtgaaaat tggtgccggg gctaagattg 360 gagccggatc cgtggtgctg atagatgtgc cggcgaggag cacggcggtt gggaaccctg 420 ccaggctgat tggtgggaag aaggccgagg gtgcgaatga ggaggacatg ccaggggagt 480 ccatggatca cacgtccttc atacgtcaat ggtcggacta caccatttga gagcggttat 540 ccaangtcta ttgctcttct tttgtatcac tagtaatggt gatgtaccaa ataccgagta 600 cttgctcttg ttgtntgcta tggtttgtgt attgtactta aaacctantg ggttatgatc 660 attgtcanct gagtgtgcca tgcctgaata ctggtaaatt cnattgatgg atggcaaatc 720 ntataaantg gttggaattt tcnatncttg aaacaattct nggaaaanna acttaancga 780 ttacttatng accnnttttt taaaaaaaaa nanaa 815 <210> SEQ ID NO 2 <211> LENGTH: 175 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Zea mays <400> SEQUENCE: 2 Leu Leu Asn Tyr Lys Gly Phe Leu Ala Ile Gln Ala His Arg Val Ala 1 5 10 15 His Val Leu Trp Ala Gln Gln Arg Arg Pro Leu Ala Leu Ala Leu Gln 20 25 30 Ser Arg Val Ala Asp Val Phe Ala Val Asp Ile His Pro Ala Ala Val 35 40 45 Val Gly Lys Gly Ile Leu Leu Asp His Ala Thr Gly Val Val Ile Gly 50 55 60 Glu Thr Ala Val Val Gly Asp Asn Val Ser Ile Leu His His Val Thr 65 70 75 80 Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Ala Val Gly Asp Arg His Pro Lys Ile Gly 85 90 95 Asp Gly Val Leu Ile Gly Ala Gly Ala Thr Ile Leu Gly Asn Val Lys 100 105 110 Ile Gly Ala Gly Ala Lys Ile Gly Ala Gly Ser Val Val Leu Ile Asp 115 120 125 Val Pro Ala Arg Ser Thr Ala Val Gly Asn Pro Ala Arg Leu Ile Gly 130 135 140 Gly Lys Lys Ala Glu Gly Ala Asn Glu Glu Asp Met Pro Gly Glu Ser 145 150 155 160 Met Asp His Thr Ser Phe Ile Arg Gln Trp Ser Asp Tyr Thr Ile 165 170 175 <210> SEQ ID NO 3 <211> LENGTH: 597 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Zea mays <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (575) <221> NAME/KEY: unsure <222> LOCATION: (593) <400> SEQUENCE: 3 ggcgctgtgc gagccacacc gcccgcacac cccaccggcc ggccacatag gccccgacgg 60 cgactcgaag atgacggccg ggcagcttct gcgcaccgag ccatcagccc agccccagcg 120 ggtgcgccac agcaccccgc cggcggcact ccaagcagac atcgtgccgt cgtacccgcc 180 gcccgagtcg gacggtgacg agtcgtgggt ctggtcccag atcaaggcgg aggcgcggcg 240 cgacgcggac gcggagccgg cgctggcctc cttcctctac gcgacggtgc tgtcgcacgc 300 gtccctggac cggtccctgg ccttccaact ggccaacaag ctgtgctcct ccacgctgct 360 gtcgacgctc ctctacgaac tcttcgtggc gtcgctcgcg gagcacccgt acgtccgcgc 420 ggcggcggtg gccgacctga ttgccgcgcg gtcgcgggaa cccgggcctg cgcgggcttc 480 gccactggct cctaatacaa ggggttcttg ccgttcaagc gaaccgcttg cgcaagttct 540 gtgggccaag gcccgggccc cctggcgctg gggcncaaat tcccgccttc ccnaagg 597 <210> SEQ ID NO 4 <211> LENGTH: 145 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Zea mays <400> SEQUENCE: 4 Met Thr Ala Gly Gln Leu Leu Arg Thr Glu Pro Ser Ala Gln Pro Gln 1 5 10 15 Arg Val Arg His Ser Thr Pro Pro Ala Ala Leu Gln Ala Asp Ile Val 20 25 30 Pro Ser Tyr Pro Pro Pro Glu Ser Asp Gly Asp Glu Ser Trp Val Trp 35 40 45 Ser Gln Ile Lys Ala Glu Ala Arg Arg Asp Ala Asp Ala Glu Pro Ala 50 55 60 Leu Ala Ser Phe Leu Tyr Ala Thr Val Leu Ser His Ala Ser Leu Asp 65 70 75 80 Arg Ser Leu Ala Phe Gln Leu Ala Asn Lys Leu Cys Ser Ser Thr Leu 85 90 95 Leu Ser Thr Leu Leu Tyr Glu Leu Phe Val Ala Ser Leu Ala Glu His 100 105 110 Pro Tyr Val Arg Ala Ala Ala Val Ala Asp Leu Ile Ala Ala Arg Ser 115 120 125 Arg Glu Pro Gly Pro Ala Arg Ala Ser Pro Leu Ala Pro Asn Thr Arg 130 135 140 Gly 145 <210> SEQ ID NO 5 <211> LENGTH: 1260 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Impatiens balsamia <400> SEQUENCE: 5 gcacgagcgg cacgaggaaa gagctgctga cgatcgaaac ttcatggtcc atggaaccgt 60 ccctcgctga tcagccgagc cgcaccatct ttcaaatcac tcactgatct tttcagtttc 120 atgttccctc tgtgactagt actagtcttc ctttcccaag cgaaaaatat gccggtccaa 180 gagcttcaga agacttctcc ggtcgcacaa gatgttgaaa acgtcgttga agatgccgag 240 gaatcaggcg tctggtctca gatcaaagcc gaggcccgca gagatgccga atcagagccg 300 gctttagcga gttatctcta ctccacaatc ctttcacact cctccctcgc tgcatctctc 360 tcgttccacc ttggaaacaa gttatgctca tccacgctcc tatccactct cctatacgat 420 ctcttcctcg gtgtcttatc ttccgacgct tcgctgcgtg cggcggcagt cgcagattta 480 cgcgccgccc gacagcggga tccggcgtgc acttcgtttt ctcactgcct tctgaactac 540 aaggggtttc tggcgattca agctcagagg gtggctcaca agatgtggtc ccagaaccgg 600 aagccccttt cgctggcact ccagtctcga atcgcggatg tgttttccgt ggacattcac 660 ccggcggcac ggattggcaa gggagtgttg ttggatcacg cgacgggtgt agtgattgga 720 gagacggcag tgatagggaa caacgtttcg attctccacc atgtgacgct tggaggcacg 780 ggtaagcagg gaggtgatcg gcacccgaaa attggggacg gtgttctgat cggtgcgggt 840 gcgactattt tgggtaacgt taggattggg gaaggagcga agatcggtgc aggttcgctg 900 gttttgattg acgtgcctcc atggacgacg gcggtgggaa accctgctag gttggtgggt 960 gggaaggata aacctaacgt gcacgcggat gtaccaggag aatccatgga ccacacctcc 1020 ttcatttctc tgtggtcaga ttttgtgatc tgattttatg gccgatgatc gatgaggggt 1080 tttggttggt atcatttact catactaccc cataaagaac caacctccta tcttaatttc 1140 gtagcctgga tgttgtgtaa tcctatgcaa taaacaactg acagtgtgga tccggtttat 1200 ttccgatata tatatatatg tataagccaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1260 <210> SEQ ID NO 6 <211> LENGTH: 294 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Impatiens balsamia <400> SEQUENCE: 6 Met Pro Val Gln Glu Leu Gln Lys Thr Ser Pro Val Ala Gln Asp Val 1 5 10 15 Glu Asn Val Val Glu Asp Ala Glu Glu Ser Gly Val Trp Ser Gln Ile 20 25 30 Lys Ala Glu Ala Arg Arg Asp Ala Glu Ser Glu Pro Ala Leu Ala Ser 35 40 45 Tyr Leu Tyr Ser Thr Ile Leu Ser His Ser Ser Leu Ala Ala Ser Leu 50 55 60 Ser Phe His Leu Gly Asn Lys Leu Cys Ser Ser Thr Leu Leu Ser Thr 65 70 75 80 Leu Leu Tyr Asp Leu Phe Leu Gly Val Leu Ser Ser Asp Ala Ser Leu 85 90 95 Arg Ala Ala Ala Val Ala Asp Leu Arg Ala Ala Arg Gln Arg Asp Pro 100 105 110 Ala Cys Thr Ser Phe Ser His Cys Leu Leu Asn Tyr Lys Gly Phe Leu 115 120 125 Ala Ile Gln Ala Gln Arg Val Ala His Lys Met Trp Ser Gln Asn Arg 130 135 140 Lys Pro Leu Ser Leu Ala Leu Gln Ser Arg Ile Ala Asp Val Phe Ser 145 150 155 160 Val Asp Ile His Pro Ala Ala Arg Ile Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Leu Asp 165 170 175 His Ala Thr Gly Val Val Ile Gly Glu Thr Ala Val Ile Gly Asn Asn 180 185 190 Val Ser Ile Leu His His Val Thr Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Gln Gly 195 200 205 Gly Asp Arg His Pro Lys Ile Gly Asp Gly Val Leu Ile Gly Ala Gly 210 215 220 Ala Thr Ile Leu Gly Asn Val Arg Ile Gly Glu Gly Ala Lys Ile Gly 225 230 235 240 Ala Gly Ser Leu Val Leu Ile Asp Val Pro Pro Trp Thr Thr Ala Val 245 250 255 Gly Asn Pro Ala Arg Leu Val Gly Gly Lys Asp Lys Pro Asn Val His 260 265 270 Ala Asp Val Pro Gly Glu Ser Met Asp His Thr Ser Phe Ile Ser Leu 275 280 285 Trp Ser Asp Phe Val Ile 290 <210> SEQ ID NO 7 <211> LENGTH: 1249 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Oryza sativa <400> SEQUENCE: 7 actgggagct ccaccgcggt ggcggccgct ctagaactag tggatccccc gggctgcagg 60 cgccgccgac cgccacatat ccacacacct cgacacgacg gcgacggcga cggcgacgat 120 gactgcgggc cagcctctcc gggacgatcc ccagccacgc cggcacagcc cgccggcgct 180 ccacccggcc gtcgtgccgg cgtacccgcc cccggagtcg gacgccgacg agtcgtgggt 240 ctggtcccag atcaaggccg aggcgcgccg cgacgccgac gccgagccgg cgctcgcgtc 300 gttcctctac gccaccgtgc tctcccaccc ctccctcgac cgctcgctcg ccttccacct 360 cgccaacaag ctctgctcct ccacgctgct ctccacgctc ctctacgacc tcttcgtcgc 420 ctccctcgcc gcgcacccca ccctccgcgc cgccgtcgtc gccgacctcc tcgccgcgcg 480 ctccagggac cccgcctgcg tcggcttctc ccactgcctc ctcaactaca agggcttcct 540 cgccatccag gcccagcgcg tcgcgcacgt gctctgggcg caggaccgcc gcgccctcgc 600 gctcgcgctc cagtcccgcg tcgccgaggt gttcgccgtc gacatccacc ccgccgccgc 660 gatcggcaag ggcgtcctcc tcgaccacgc cacgggcgtc gtcatcggag agaccgccgt 720 catcggcgac aacgtctcca tcctccacca cgtcacgctg ggcgggacag gcaaggccgt 780 gggcgaccgg caccccaaga tcggcgacgg cgtcctcatt ggcgccggcg cgacgatcct 840 cggcaatgtc aggatcggcg ccggggccaa gatcggggcc gggtcgctgg tgctcatcga 900 cgtgccgccg aggaccacgg cggtggggaa tccggcgagg ctgctcggcg ggaagaaggg 960 cgacgacatg ccgggtgaat ccatggacca cacctccttc atccagcaat ggtcggacta 1020 cagcatctga gcaggacatg gtgtatgcgc tactaaattt tctccttgtt tcgagctgtg 1080 cttgaactgg tactagtggt gttattactt aataacacta caagtaatag cacaatgtgt 1140 ttcttttttg cttgtaatgg ctgtaagctt tgctccggcg agctgaaggt gaaccgtact 1200 gcacattgtc gtgctcgtct ccggacactt gtactggtgt tcactttgc 1249 <210> SEQ ID NO 8 <211> LENGTH: 303 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Oryza sativa <400> SEQUENCE: 8 Met Thr Ala Gly Gln Pro Leu Arg Asp Asp Pro Gln Pro Arg Arg His 1 5 10 15 Ser Pro Pro Ala Leu His Pro Ala Val Val Pro Ala Tyr Pro Pro Pro 20 25 30 Glu Ser Asp Ala Asp Glu Ser Trp Val Trp Ser Gln Ile Lys Ala Glu 35 40 45 Ala Arg Arg Asp Ala Asp Ala Glu Pro Ala Leu Ala Ser Phe Leu Tyr 50 55 60 Ala Thr Val Leu Ser His Pro Ser Leu Asp Arg Ser Leu Ala Phe His 65 70 75 80 Leu Ala Asn Lys Leu Cys Ser Ser Thr Leu Leu Ser Thr Leu Leu Tyr 85 90 95 Asp Leu Phe Val Ala Ser Leu Ala Ala His Pro Thr Leu Arg Ala Ala 100 105 110 Val Val Ala Asp Leu Leu Ala Ala Arg Ser Arg Asp Pro Ala Cys Val 115 120 125 Gly Phe Ser His Cys Leu Leu Asn Tyr Lys Gly Phe Leu Ala Ile Gln 130 135 140 Ala Gln Arg Val Ala His Val Leu Trp Ala Gln Asp Arg Arg Ala Leu 145 150 155 160 Ala Leu Ala Leu Gln Ser Arg Val Ala Glu Val Phe Ala Val Asp Ile 165 170 175 His Pro Ala Ala Ala Ile Gly Lys Gly Val Leu Leu Asp His Ala Thr 180 185 190 Gly Val Val Ile Gly Glu Thr Ala Val Ile Gly Asp Asn Val Ser Ile 195 200 205 Leu His His Val Thr Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Ala Val Gly Asp Arg 210 215 220 His Pro Lys Ile Gly Asp Gly Val Leu Ile Gly Ala Gly Ala Thr Ile 225 230 235 240 Leu Gly Asn Val Arg Ile Gly Ala Gly Ala Lys Ile Gly Ala Gly Ser 245 250 255 Leu Val Leu Ile Asp Val Pro Pro Arg Thr Thr Ala Val Gly Asn Pro 260 265 270 Ala Arg Leu Leu Gly Gly Lys Lys Gly Asp Asp Met Pro Gly Glu Ser 275 280 285 Met Asp His Thr Ser Phe Ile Gln Gln Trp Ser Asp Tyr Ser Ile 290 295 300 <210> SEQ ID NO 9 <211> LENGTH: 1027 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Oryza sativa <400> SEQUENCE: 9 gctctgctcc tccaccctcc tctccacgct cctctacgac ctcttcctgg cttccttcac 60 cgcgcacccc tccctccgcg ccgccgtcgt cgccgacctc ctcgccgccc gctcccgcga 120 cccggcctgc gtcggcttct cccagtgcct cctcaacttc aagggcttcc tcgccatcca 180 ggcgcaccgc gtgtcgcacg tcctctgggc gcagcagcga cgcccccttg ccctcgccct 240 ccagtcccgc gtcgccgacg tcttcgccgt cgacatccac cccgcggccg tcgtcggcaa 300 gggcatcctc ctcgaccacg ccaccggcgt cgtcatcggc gagaccgccg tcgtcggcga 360 caacgtctcc atcctccacc acgttacact gggtggcaca ggcaaggctg tcggtgaccg 420 gcaccccaag attggggatg gtgttctgat tggcgccggg gcgacgattc ttggcaacgt 480 caagattgga gccggggcca agattggtgc cgggtcagtg gtgctgatag atgtgccggc 540 gaggaacacg gcggtgggga atccagccag gttgattggc aggaagaacg gtgaggttga 600 gaaggatgag gacatgcccg gggaatccat ggatcacaca tccttcattc gacagtggtc 660 ggactacacc atttgagggc gacgcgccga ggtctatttc tcttcctctc tgtataatcc 720 gtagtgttga tatgccaaaa actgatgtac ttgtcgtgct ttgggtaatc tgtactgtag 780 tgttgtatca tcagccgttt tatcagtcga atgcccatgc tcatgtactg ataactggtg 840 attgatgaaa tgatgagtca aataaaagtt gtataacttt tgattttatc atttgccaga 900 tgagtcaagc ttcaaggaca cattagattg cgattttaac tttttattgt gtaaagattc 960 catatgatgt ttctgctatt ttatatgatg caactccagg tgctaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1020 aaaaaaa 1027 <210> SEQ ID NO 10 <211> LENGTH: 224 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Oryza sativa <400> SEQUENCE: 10 Leu Cys Ser Ser Thr Leu Leu Ser Thr Leu Leu Tyr Asp Leu Phe Leu 1 5 10 15 Ala Ser Phe Thr Ala His Pro Ser Leu Arg Ala Ala Val Val Ala Asp 20 25 30 Leu Leu Ala Ala Arg Ser Arg Asp Pro Ala Cys Val Gly Phe Ser Gln 35 40 45 Cys Leu Leu Asn Phe Lys Gly Phe Leu Ala Ile Gln Ala His Arg Val 50 55 60 Ser His Val Leu Trp Ala Gln Gln Arg Arg Pro Leu Ala Leu Ala Leu 65 70 75 80 Gln Ser Arg Val Ala Asp Val Phe Ala Val Asp Ile His Pro Ala Ala 85 90 95 Val Val Gly Lys Gly Ile Leu Leu Asp His Ala Thr Gly Val Val Ile 100 105 110 Gly Glu Thr Ala Val Val Gly Asp Asn Val Ser Ile Leu His His Val 115 120 125 Thr Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Ala Val Gly Asp Arg His Pro Lys Ile 130 135 140 Gly Asp Gly Val Leu Ile Gly Ala Gly Ala Thr Ile Leu Gly Asn Val 145 150 155 160 Lys Ile Gly Ala Gly Ala Lys Ile Gly Ala Gly Ser Val Val Leu Ile 165 170 175 Asp Val Pro Ala Arg Asn Thr Ala Val Gly Asn Pro Ala Arg Leu Ile 180 185 190 Gly Arg Lys Asn Gly Glu Val Glu Lys Asp Glu Asp Met Pro Gly Glu 195 200 205 Ser Met Asp His Thr Ser Phe Ile Arg Gln Trp Ser Asp Tyr Thr Ile 210 215 220 <210> SEQ ID NO 11 <211> LENGTH: 1131 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Glycine max <400> SEQUENCE: 11 gcacgagctg aaccacacaa acatcaccac cgaacaatgc cgacggggtt accggcggcg 60 aattccttag tggcgccgga cgaagagggg tgggtgtggg ggcagatcaa ggcggaggcg 120 cgccgcgacg ccgagtcgga gcctgctttg gcgagctacc tctactcgac gatcctctcg 180 cactcgtcgc tcgagcgttc tctgtctttt cacctcggaa ataagctctg ttcctccacg 240 cttctctcga cgctccttta cgacctgttc ctcaacgcct tctcctccga cccctccctc 300 cgctccgccg ccgtcgccga tctccgcgct gcccgcgaac gcgaccccgc ctgcgtctcc 360 tactcccact gcctcctcaa ttacaaaggc ttcctcgctt gccaggcgca ccgtgtggcg 420 catctgttgt ggcggcaatc acggcggcca ttggctttag cgctgcactc tcgcatcgca 480 gatgtgtttg cggtggacat tcacccgccg gcaaggattg ggaaggggat tttgttcgac 540 catgccactg gggttgttgt tagggagaca gcgtcaatcg ggaacaatgt gtcgatcctg 600 caccatgtta ctctgggtgg gactggcaag gttggtggag accggcatcc taagattggg 660 gatggggtgc ttattggtgc tggtgctacc attctgggga atattaagat tggggaaggt 720 gcaaaggttg gtgctggttc ggtggtttta attgatgtgc caccacggac aacagcagtt 780 gggaacccgg cgaggttggt tggtgggaag gagaagccct ctaagcatga ggatgtgcct 840 ggggagtcta tggaccatac ttcctttatc tctgagtggt cagattatat catttgaatt 900 tctaaggtta atcaattaat gaatgaatac ttcaaatcaa atgctatgtg ttctgctgtt 960 ctagagtttt gtaattttat atttggattg agattttgta gagaccacac tctgcttaat 1020 tatactgtat tatgactgga aattttggca gcctgcaata tagtgacata ttgtgcaaca 1080 gattatataa agctggtttt gttggttaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa a 1131 <210> SEQ ID NO 12 <211> LENGTH: 286 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Glycine max <400> SEQUENCE: 12 Met Pro Thr Gly Leu Pro Ala Ala Asn Ser Leu Val Ala Pro Asp Glu 1 5 10 15 Glu Gly Trp Val Trp Gly Gln Ile Lys Ala Glu Ala Arg Arg Asp Ala 20 25 30 Glu Ser Glu Pro Ala Leu Ala Ser Tyr Leu Tyr Ser Thr Ile Leu Ser 35 40 45 His Ser Ser Leu Glu Arg Ser Leu Ser Phe His Leu Gly Asn Lys Leu 50 55 60 Cys Ser Ser Thr Leu Leu Ser Thr Leu Leu Tyr Asp Leu Phe Leu Asn 65 70 75 80 Ala Phe Ser Ser Asp Pro Ser Leu Arg Ser Ala Ala Val Ala Asp Leu 85 90 95 Arg Ala Ala Arg Glu Arg Asp Pro Ala Cys Val Ser Tyr Ser His Cys 100 105 110 Leu Leu Asn Tyr Lys Gly Phe Leu Ala Cys Gln Ala His Arg Val Ala 115 120 125 His Leu Leu Trp Arg Gln Ser Arg Arg Pro Leu Ala Leu Ala Leu His 130 135 140 Ser Arg Ile Ala Asp Val Phe Ala Val Asp Ile His Pro Pro Ala Arg 145 150 155 160 Ile Gly Lys Gly Ile Leu Phe Asp His Ala Thr Gly Val Val Val Arg 165 170 175 Glu Thr Ala Ser Ile Gly Asn Asn Val Ser Ile Leu His His Val Thr 180 185 190 Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Val Gly Gly Asp Arg His Pro Lys Ile Gly 195 200 205 Asp Gly Val Leu Ile Gly Ala Gly Ala Thr Ile Leu Gly Asn Ile Lys 210 215 220 Ile Gly Glu Gly Ala Lys Val Gly Ala Gly Ser Val Val Leu Ile Asp 225 230 235 240 Val Pro Pro Arg Thr Thr Ala Val Gly Asn Pro Ala Arg Leu Val Gly 245 250 255 Gly Lys Glu Lys Pro Ser Lys His Glu Asp Val Pro Gly Glu Ser Met 260 265 270 Asp His Thr Ser Phe Ile Ser Glu Trp Ser Asp Tyr Ile Ile 275 280 285 <210> SEQ ID NO 13 <211> LENGTH: 722 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Glycine max <400> SEQUENCE: 13 cggcacgagc tcacaaattg tggcttcaag ggaggaaggt cttggcgctg ttgattcaga 60 atagggtgtc tgaggttttt gctgtggata ttcaccctgg tgccaaaatt ggacgtggga 120 ttttgctgga tcatgcaaca ggacttgttg tgggggagac tgcagttatt gggaataatg 180 tgtcaatttt gcataatgtg acattgggag ggactggtaa ggcaagtggg gatagacacc 240 ctaagattgg tgatggggtg ttgataggtg cagggacttg tattttgggg aacattaaga 300 ttggtgatgg agctaagatt ggtgcttgtt ctgttgtgtt gaaggaagtg ccaccaagga 360 ctactgctgt tgggaaccct gctaggttgg ttggagggaa ggataaccct attaaattgg 420 ataagatgcc tagttttacc atggaccata cttcatggtc tgattatgtt atatagaagc 480 taattaattg tctaacatgt tttagagttt gtgtttaggt gggaattgtt ttggttgagg 540 gggcttggtt gttgtgcaag agagaatcta agttctcctg ctgacaacag ggcgtccttt 600 gaatcatcgt gttagatttt taaagaatag ttagatgtag tactttgttg ttgtaagggg 660 ccatgatgac aaccctttgt gtaaaattta tgaatatgga tatttcagct tgttatggtt 720 ac 722 <210> SEQ ID NO 14 <211> LENGTH: 157 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Glycine max <400> SEQUENCE: 14 Ala Arg Ala His Lys Leu Trp Leu Gln Gly Arg Lys Val Leu Ala Leu 1 5 10 15 Leu Ile Gln Asn Arg Val Ser Glu Val Phe Ala Val Asp Ile His Pro 20 25 30 Gly Ala Lys Ile Gly Arg Gly Ile Leu Leu Asp His Ala Thr Gly Leu 35 40 45 Val Val Gly Glu Thr Ala Val Ile Gly Asn Asn Val Ser Ile Leu His 50 55 60 Asn Val Thr Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Ala Ser Gly Asp Arg His Pro 65 70 75 80 Lys Ile Gly Asp Gly Val Leu Ile Gly Ala Gly Thr Cys Ile Leu Gly 85 90 95 Asn Ile Lys Ile Gly Asp Gly Ala Lys Ile Gly Ala Cys Ser Val Val 100 105 110 Leu Lys Glu Val Pro Pro Arg Thr Thr Ala Val Gly Asn Pro Ala Arg 115 120 125 Leu Val Gly Gly Lys Asp Asn Pro Ile Lys Leu Asp Lys Met Pro Ser 130 135 140 Phe Thr Met Asp His Thr Ser Trp Ser Asp Tyr Val Ile 145 150 155 <210> SEQ ID NO 15 <211> LENGTH: 415 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Triticum aestivum <400> SEQUENCE: 15 cggcccagac gccatcgacg cgacgacggc gacgacgacg acgacgatga cggcgggtca 60 gcccctccgc gccgaccccc agcagcgccg ccacagcccg ccggccctcc accccgccgt 120 ggtgccgtcc tacccgcccc cggagtccgg caacgacgag tcctgggtct ggtcccagat 180 caaggccgag gcgcgccgcg acgccgacgc cgagccggcg ctcgcgtcct tcctctacgc 240 caccgtgctc tcccacccct cgctcgagcg ctccctctcc ttccacctcg ccaacaagct 300 ctgctcctcc accctcctct ccacgctcct ctacgacctc ttcgtcggct ccctcgccgc 360 gcaccccacc atccgcgccg ccgccgtcgc cgacctcctc gccgtgcgct cccgg 415 <210> SEQ ID NO 16 <211> LENGTH: 123 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Triticum aestivum <400> SEQUENCE: 16 Met Thr Ala Gly Gln Pro Leu Arg Ala Asp Pro Gln Gln Arg Arg His 1 5 10 15 Ser Pro Pro Ala Leu His Pro Ala Val Val Pro Ser Tyr Pro Pro Pro 20 25 30 Glu Ser Gly Asn Asp Glu Ser Trp Val Trp Ser Gln Ile Lys Ala Glu 35 40 45 Ala Arg Arg Asp Ala Asp Ala Glu Pro Ala Leu Ala Ser Phe Leu Tyr 50 55 60 Ala Thr Val Leu Ser His Pro Ser Leu Glu Arg Ser Leu Ser Phe His 65 70 75 80 Leu Ala Asn Lys Leu Cys Ser Ser Thr Leu Leu Ser Thr Leu Leu Tyr 85 90 95 Asp Leu Phe Val Gly Ser Leu Ala Ala His Pro Thr Ile Arg Ala Ala 100 105 110 Ala Val Ala Asp Leu Leu Ala Val Arg Ser Arg 115 120 <210> SEQ ID NO 17 <211> LENGTH: 294 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Citrullus lanatus <400> SEQUENCE: 17 Met Pro Val Gly Glu Leu Arg Phe Ser Ser Gln Ser Ser Thr Thr Val 1 5 10 15 Val Glu Ser Thr Thr Asn Asn Asp Glu Thr Trp Leu Trp Gly Gln Ile 20 25 30 Lys Ala Glu Ala Arg Arg Asp Ala Glu Ser Glu Pro Ala Leu Ala Ser 35 40 45 Tyr Leu Tyr Ser Thr Ile Leu Ser His Ser Ser Leu Glu Arg Ser Leu 50 55 60 Ser Phe His Leu Gly Asn Lys Leu Cys Ser Ser Thr Leu Leu Ser Thr 65 70 75 80 Leu Leu Tyr Asp Leu Phe Leu Asn Ala Phe Ser Thr Asp Tyr Cys Leu 85 90 95 Arg Ser Ala Val Val Ala Asp Leu Gln Ala Ala Arg Glu Arg Asp Pro 100 105 110 Ala Cys Val Ser Phe Ser His Cys Leu Leu Asn Tyr Lys Gly Phe Leu 115 120 125 Ala Cys Gln Ala His Arg Val Ala His Lys Leu Trp Asn Gln Ser Arg 130 135 140 Arg Pro Leu Ala Leu Ala Leu Gln Ser Arg Ile Ala Asp Val Phe Ala 145 150 155 160 Val Asp Ile His Pro Ala Ala Arg Ile Gly Lys Gly Ile Leu Phe Asp 165 170 175 His Ala Thr Gly Val Val Val Gly Glu Thr Ala Val Ile Gly Asn Asn 180 185 190 Val Ser Ile Leu His His Val Thr Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Met Cys 195 200 205 Gly Asp Arg His Pro Lys Ile Gly Asp Gly Val Leu Ile Gly Ala Gly 210 215 220 Ala Thr Ile Leu Gly Asn Val Lys Ile Gly Glu Gly Ala Lys Ile Gly 225 230 235 240 Ala Gly Ser Val Val Leu Ile Asp Val Pro Pro Arg Thr Thr Ala Val 245 250 255 Gly Asn Pro Ala Arg Leu Val Gly Gly Lys Glu Lys Pro Ser Gln Leu 260 265 270 Glu Asp Ile Pro Gly Glu Ser Met Asp His Thr Ser Phe Ile Ser Glu 275 280 285 Trp Ser Asp Tyr Ile Ile 290 <210> SEQ ID NO 18 <211> LENGTH: 312 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Arabidopsis thaliana <400> SEQUENCE: 18 Met Pro Pro Ala Gly Glu Leu Arg His Gln Ser Pro Ser Lys Glu Lys 1 5 10 15 Leu Ser Ser Val Thr Gln Ser Asp Glu Ala Glu Ala Ala Ser Ala Ala 20 25 30 Ile Ser Ala Ala Ala Ala Asp Ala Glu Ala Ala Gly Leu Trp Thr Gln 35 40 45 Ile Lys Ala Glu Ala Arg Arg Asp Ala Glu Ala Glu Pro Ala Leu Ala 50 55 60 Ser Tyr Leu Tyr Ser Thr Ile Leu Ser His Ser Ser Leu Glu Arg Ser 65 70 75 80 Ile Ser Phe His Leu Gly Asn Lys Leu Cys Ser Ser Thr Leu Leu Ser 85 90 95 Thr Leu Leu Tyr Asp Leu Phe Leu Asn Thr Phe Ser Ser Asp Pro Ser 100 105 110 Leu Arg Asn Ala Thr Val Ala Asp Leu Arg Ala Ala Arg Val Arg Asp 115 120 125 Pro Ala Cys Ile Ser Phe Ser His Cys Leu Leu Asn Tyr Lys Gly Phe 130 135 140 Leu Ala Ile Gln Ala His Arg Val Ser His Lys Leu Trp Thr Gln Ser 145 150 155 160 Arg Lys Pro Leu Ala Leu Ala Leu His Ser Arg Ile Ser Asp Val Phe 165 170 175 Ala Val Asp Ile His Pro Ala Ala Lys Ile Gly Lys Gly Ile Leu Leu 180 185 190 Asp His Ala Thr Gly Val Val Val Gly Glu Thr Ala Val Ile Gly Asn 195 200 205 Asn Val Ser Ile Leu His His Val Thr Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Ala 210 215 220 Cys Gly Asp Arg His Pro Lys Ile Gly Asp Gly Cys Leu Ile Gly Ala 225 230 235 240 Gly Ala Thr Ile Leu Gly Asn Val Lys Ile Gly Ala Gly Ala Lys Val 245 250 255 Gly Ala Gly Ser Val Val Leu Ile Asp Val Pro Cys Arg Gly Thr Ala 260 265 270 Val Gly Asn Pro Ala Arg Leu Val Gly Gly Lys Glu Lys Pro Thr Ile 275 280 285 His Asp Glu Glu Cys Pro Gly Glu Ser Met Asp His Thr Ser Phe Ile 290 295 300 Ser Glu Trp Ser Asp Tyr Ile Ile 305 310 <210> SEQ ID NO 19 <211> LENGTH: 336 <212> TYPE: PRT <213> ORGANISM: Arabidopsis thaliana <400> SEQUENCE: 19 Met Ala Ala Cys Ile Asp Thr Cys Arg Thr Gly Lys Pro Gln Ile Ser 1 5 10 15 Pro Arg Asp Ser Ser Lys His His Asp Asp Glu Ser Gly Phe Arg Tyr 20 25 30 Met Asn Tyr Phe Arg Tyr Pro Asp Arg Ser Ser Phe Asn Gly Thr Gln 35 40 45 Thr Lys Thr Leu His Thr Arg Pro Leu Leu Glu Asp Leu Asp Arg Asp 50 55 60 Ala Glu Val Asp Asp Val Trp Ala Lys Ile Arg Glu Glu Ala Lys Ser 65 70 75 80 Asp Ile Ala Lys Glu Pro Ile Val Ser Ala Tyr Tyr His Ala Ser Ile 85 90 95 Val Ser Gln Arg Ser Leu Glu Ala Ala Leu Ala Asn Thr Leu Ser Val 100 105 110 Lys Leu Ser Asn Leu Asn Leu Pro Ser Asn Thr Leu Phe Asp Leu Phe 115 120 125 Ser Gly Val Leu Gln Gly Asn Pro Asp Ile Val Glu Ser Val Lys Leu 130 135 140 Asp Leu Leu Ala Val Lys Glu Arg Asp Pro Ala Cys Ile Ser Tyr Val 145 150 155 160 His Cys Phe Leu His Phe Lys Gly Phe Leu Ala Cys Gln Ala His Arg 165 170 175 Ile Ala His Glu Leu Trp Thr Gln Asp Arg Lys Ile Leu Ala Leu Leu 180 185 190 Ile Gln Asn Arg Val Ser Glu Ala Phe Ala Val Asp Phe His Pro Gly 195 200 205 Ala Lys Ile Gly Thr Gly Ile Leu Leu Asp His Ala Thr Ala Ile Val 210 215 220 Ile Gly Glu Thr Ala Val Val Gly Asn Asn Val Ser Ile Leu His Asn 225 230 235 240 Val Thr Leu Gly Gly Thr Gly Lys Gln Cys Gly Asp Arg His Pro Lys 245 250 255 Ile Gly Asp Gly Val Leu Ile Gly Ala Gly Thr Cys Ile Leu Gly Asn 260 265 270 Ile Thr Ile Gly Glu Gly Ala Lys Ile Gly Ala Gly Ser Val Val Leu 275 280 285 Lys Asp Val Pro Pro Arg Thr Thr Ala Val Gly Asn Pro Ala Arg Leu 290 295 300 Leu Gly Gly Lys Asp Asn Pro Lys Thr His Asp Lys Ile Pro Gly Leu 305 310 315 320 Thr Met Asp Gln Thr Ser His Ile Ser Glu Trp Ser Asp Tyr Val Ile 325 330 335 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a serine O-acetyltransferase comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence of at least 90% sequence identity, based on the Clustal method of alignment, when compared to one of SEQ ID NOs: 12 or 14; or (b) a full complement of the nucleotide sequence of (a).
 2. The isolated nucleic acid fragment of claim 1 wherein the nucleic acid fragment is a functional RNA.
 3. The isolated nucleic acid fragment of claim 1 wherein the nucleotide sequence of (a) comprises one of SEQ ID NOs: 11 or
 13. 4. A chimeric gene comprising the isolated nucleic acid fragment of claim 1 operably linked to at least one regulatory sequence.
 5. A transformed host cell comprising the chimeric gene of claim
 4. 6. A method of altering the level of expression of a sulfate assimilation protein in a host cell comprising: (a) transforming a host cell with the chimeric gene of claim 4; and (b) growing the transformed host cell produced in step (a) under conditions that are suitable for expression of the chimeric gene wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the sulfate assimilation protein in the transformed host cell. 